Vocabulary and Allusions in The Poet X

Starting a unit or lesson with the key vocabulary terms and allusions aids in overall comprehension and retention. In this activity, students will create a storyboard that defines and illustrates key vocabulary and allusions found in the book The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo. Students will create a spider map of 3-5 terms at the teacher's discretion. Each cell will contain a term or allusion, its definition or description, and an appropriate illustration.

Example Vocabulary from The Poet X

abyss: a bottomless gulf or pit

annotate: add explanatory notes to or supply with critical comments

apocalypse: a cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the powers of evil

barrio: a Spanish-speaking quarter in a town or city

blasphemous: grossly irreverent toward what is held to be sacred

bodega: small shop selling groceries, especially in a Hispanic area

borough: one of the administrative divisions of a large city. In New York City the five boroughs that Xiomara refers to are: Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island.

cacophony: loud confusing disagreeable sounds

cathartic: emotionally purging

chalice: a bowl-shaped drinking vessel

cliche: a trite or obvious remark

conceited: having an exaggerated sense of self-importance; vain

conductivity: the property of transmitting heat, electricity, or sound

convent: a religious residence especially for nuns

crevice: a long narrow opening

devout: deeply religious

disciple: one who believes and helps spread the doctrine of another

gospel: the written body of teachings accepted by a religious group

haiku: an epigrammatic Japanese verse form of three short lines

heathen: a person who does not acknowledge your god

icebreaker: an initial activity to relax a tense or formal atmosphere

incense: a substance that produces a fragrant odor when burned

nostalgia: a longing for something past

omen: a sign of a thing about to happen

parasitic: living off another

penance: voluntary self-punishment in order to atone for something

piety: righteousness by virtue of being religiously devout

pristine: immaculately clean and unused

prophet: someone who speaks by divine inspiration

rectory: an official residence provided by a church for a minister

repentance: remorse for your past conduct

sacrament: a formal religious ceremony conferring a specific grace

smolder: burn slowly and without a flame

sonnet: a verse form of 14 lines with a fixed rhyme scheme

stoop: small porch or set of steps at the front entrance of a house

trinity: three people or things considered as a unit

urn: a large vase that usually has a pedestal or feet

volition: the act of making a choice

Allusions in The Poet X

Harlem: A neighborhood in Upper Manhattan (Uptown), New York City with the Hudson River to the west; the Harlem River to the north; Fifth Avenue and the East River to the east; and south to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Central Park.

The Bible: A collection of religious texts, writings, or scriptures, parts of which are sacred in Christianity, Judaism, and many other faiths.

Catholicism: The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2019.

The Nuyorican Poet's Cafe: This is where Xiomara competes in the slam competition at the end of the novel. It is actually a real place in New York City! It was founded in 1973 by Puerto Rican poet Miguel Algarin and it has been a place for poets and artists of all races, cultures and backgrounds to share their work ever since! Allen Ginsberg is quoted as saying the Cafe is "the most integrated place on the planet."

Contemporary rappers: Drake, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj

Due Date:

Objective: To learn the meanings of unfamiliar words and track allusions (real people, places, art, cultural references) in The Poet X, you will track the terms as you read and create a storyboard that demonstrates your understanding.

Student Instructions:

1. In the title boxes, identify the terms you have chosen.
2. In the description boxes, write the definition or description of the term.
3. Create an illustration for each term using appropriate scenes, characters, and items.

Requirements: Must have 3 terms, correct definitions or descriptions, and appropriate illustrations for each that demonstrate your understanding of the words.